Apparatus for recording the times at which a vehicle passes two given points



Sept. 23 1924. 1,509,136.

E.E.LUCY

APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE TIMES AT WHICH A.VEHICLE PASSES TWO GIVEN POXNTS Filed Sept. 1. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept; 23 1924. 1,509,736

., E. E. LUCY APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE TIMES AT WHICH A VEHICLE PASSES TWO GIVEN FOINTS Fnua se'pt. 1 1921 2. Sheets-Shut 2 Patented Sept. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST EDWARD LUCY, OF SYDNEY, NEWV SOUTH W'ALESAUSTRALIA.

APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE TIMES AT W'I-IICH A VEHICLE PASSES TWO GIVEN POINTS.

App1ication filed September 1, 1921. 1 Serial No. 49?,805.

, cation.

This invention relates to improvements in recording apparatus, preferably contained in a'closed casing, and especially devised with the View to automatically recording the 1 times at which trains or other vehicles pass signal boxes or other places thereby obviating the necessity of entering up by hand the times in books or registers.

1 According to the invention any suitable clock construction is utilized, preferably one provided with hour, minute, and split seconds mechanism adapted to rotate parallel discs or wheels at the respective speeds. The hour disc is marked with the hour symbols successively from zero to the Qt oclock position, the minute and seconds discs being I marked from 1 to 60, but for greater ac curacy the seconds disc may be marked with I 300 divisions, each representing th of a sec-- upon which is wound a strip of thin paper and on the other side of the discs is a wind ing spool upon which the strip is wound after the strip passes the discs, the latter or both spools being actuated in any suitable manner by an electromagnet. Above or outside the paper stretched between the two spools is a pivoted lever, solenoid plunger or other striking device, which is caused, when a train or other vehicle passes two given points to force the paper against the peripheral symbols on the several discs at those positions thus printing or impressing thereon the time in hours, minutes, and seconds between which the train was passing between such points or portions of seconds. In order to'ensure or render the impressions more distinct I may interpose a strip of carbon paper or printing ribbon between the symbols on the discs and the paper, and said paper may be semi-transparent in order that the printing may be visible therethrough.

In the case of railway trafiic, the striking action is obtained when an engine or other vehicle provided with a suitable wiper passes end. On one side of the discs is a feed spool a predetermined point at which is positioned a suitable contact or contacts coupled to a battery or othersource of electricity whereby, when the wiper passes over said contact, the striking device is caused to fall and eifect the necessary impression on the paper.

The annexed drawings illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly diagrammatic, showing the general arrangement of the apparatus, the paper strip being omitted.

' Figure 2 is a side elevation of the hour disc and the means whereby it is rotated.

Figure 3, is a longitudinal section of the clock driven printing discs or wheels.

Figure 4: is a fragmentary projection plan illustratingthe sequences in which the printing type are made on the hour, minute, and

seconds wheels respectively the arrows sh0W- ing the direction in which the wheels revolve.

Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating the striking and type ribbon mechanism, while Figure 6 is a similar view of the switch and record drum arrangement.

Figure 7 is a view of a portion of the paper strip used with the apparatus showing how the times between. which a train passed over a measured section or stretch of track is recorded thereon.

The same numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts, and

'8 represents a clock capable of driving the type wheels the hour, minute, and seconds type wheels 9, 10, and 11, respectively, through the flexible couplings or shafts 12 and 13. The seconds wheel is driven by the shaft13 and gear wheels 13, and the minute wheel is revolved directly, by the shaft 12, the hour wheel 9 being revolved by cam wheel 14 carried by the shaft 12 through a ratchet 14 to which a spring lever 14 is pivoted. The lever 14 contacting with the pins 15 carried by the wheel 9, turns the wheel one pin, the end of the ratchet 14 stopping the wheel from turning more than one pin, the lever 1 f acting as a pawl to prevent the wheel 9 turning in the reverse direction. 16 is a paper spool, the paper strip being drawn therefrom across the type wheels 9, 10 and 11 to the winding spool 17. 18 and 19 represent inked ribbon spools. The inked ribbon 37 (Fig. 5), as it is drawn from the feed spool 18, runs through the bent wire clips 20 and 21 to the winding spool 19 which is turned by a gathering pawl 40 and rod 40 actuated by one of the electromagnets. 22 and 23 are the striking electromagnets having armatures 24- and 25 pivoted thereto. 26 and 27 are extensions or, arms on the upper ends of which are rubber hammers 28 and 29. W heels 39 on the armatures contacting with the extensions 26 and 2'7 cause the hammers 28 and to strike the paper strip 36 and printing ribbon against the peripheries of the wheels 9, 10 and 11. 31 represents a reversible change over bridge type of switch which is operated by rods 38 attached to the armatures 2a and 25. l Vhen the armature 2a or armature 25 is ac tuated a rod 38 attached to said armature shifts the bridge from the contact leading to one electromagnet to the contact leading to the other electromagnet, thus causing the electric current from the battery or other source of current 0 to flow through the other electromagnet. Attached to the arinatures and 25 are respective gathering pawls 23 i and 35, each adapted to engage one of the pins 32 on one end out the record drum 1?, said drum being split to facilitate the ready removal of the printed strip. 34'? is a stop to prevent the drum 1? from unwinding. is a pin attached to the trams of the type wheel bearings which prints at point or other mark 33 upon the paper strip when the hammer 28 strikes the printin ribbon 3'3", represented in dotted lines in higure 5. representing the paper tape.

in operation, the magnet 22 is energized from a battery G, the circuit troin the battery being closed by a wiper A upon a vehicle coming into engagement with and closing a switch B at a point on the running track. This causes the armature 24; to be attracted to its magnet 22, which movement causes the wheel 39 to contact with the extension 26 and the hammer 28 to strike the printing ribbon 3? forcing it and the paper strip 36 against the peripheries of the type wheels 9, 10, and 11, thereby printing upon the paper strip 36 the enact time when the engine enters upon the predetermined length of track the rod 38 lifting the bridge ready to bring in circuit the electro-magnet 23. When the armature returns to the normal position it takes with it the gathering pawl s4 turning the record drum by means of the pins 32 and causing a fresh portion of paper tape to move over the type wheels. VJ hen the engine has travelled over the predetermined length of track it closes the switch B and energizes the magnet 23 whose armature causes the hammer 29 to strike the printing ribbon and paper strip, a pin 33 being provided for depression by the hammer 28 when the hammer strikes the paper 36 to print a dot 33 upon the strip so that the starting time can be distinguished from the finishing time. The difference between said times may be calculated from a chart or table enabling the speed at which the engine is travelling to be ascertained.

Having thus described my invention what 1 claim as new and desire to protect by Letters i atent is in apparatus for automatically recording the times when a train reaches the beginning and the end of a given section of track comprising a pair oi drums having a strip of paper adapted to wind oil of one onto the other, rotatable discs between said drums having respective notations thereon denoting hours and fractions thereof, means tor rotating said discs relatively to each other so as to indicate the exact time at agiven place, an inhribbon between the discs and strip a shift-able switch and conductors adapted to form therewith electric circuits, said circuits being completed, one when the train reaches the beginning of the section and the other when it reaches the end of said section, e1ectromagnets connected in said electric circuits, an armature associated with each magnet and adapted to be attracted thereby when the magnet is energizech and means actuated by said armatures tor pressing the paper strip against the discs, for rotating said drums and for shifting the switch from one circuit to the other when the armature of said circuit is attracted by the magnet.

in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ERNEST EDEVARD LUCY. 

